A distinctive part of visiting southern Arizona in the winter is the Cactus League. The Phoenix area is home to professional baseball players who dust off their bats and gloves to prepare for the full major league season.
Thousands of visitors go to the ballparks in and around Phoenix every year to see the players in a closer environment than your usual MLB stadium experience. The pro athletes also provide many opportunities to sign autographs or meet them during the games that take place this year from February 24 to March 28 (the pro season starts on March 30).
Here’s a look at what to expect this year for the Cactus League:
Listen to some great music
Every year, a multi-day music festival is tied to the Cactus League. Named the Innings Festival, it merges performances from top musical artists such as Green Day, Weezer, Eddie Vedder, the Revivalists and the Black Crowes with sets from baseball stars who are also musicians such as Bronson Arroyo, Ryan Dempster, Jake Peavy and Randy Johnson.
It takes place right after the first pitches of spring training, on Feb. 25 and 26 at Tempe Beach Park. Get more details on the event website.
Tips on how to make the most of the league
The Visit Phoenix website has great ideas for a great Cactus League visiting experience. Much of it is common sense, but they are great ideas to remember.
Grab your tickets early: Sellouts are a standard part of the visit, especially early on and toward the end of the season. Be sure to order any seats for the big games before you get to the park. You can do that for your favorite team via the Cactus League site.
Follow the rules: Every stadium you go to — and there is 10 total — has different rules about what you can bring in regarding food and drink, as well as varied rules about alcoholic beverages. Be sure to check each place before you visit.
Don’t get burned: Sunscreen is a must, even though it’s officially winter. Temperatures can get into the 80s and sometimes beyond, so wear it and reapply frequently.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: You can never have enough water as you visit the ballparks. It’s also a good idea to bring along a hat to protect yourself from the sun and wear summer-like lightweight clothing.
Who is playing where
Five of the 10 stadiums have more than one team scheduled to play as the host team, most named after the city or suburb in which they are located. There are also great accommodations near these hot spots for early baseball.
Like in the regular season, there are “away” games so that you may see your favorites in more than one stadium. But, most games each play are in their “home” stadium. You can get a guide to each stadium by visiting the Cactus League site.
The multi-team sites include the following:
- Camelback Ranch featuring the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Goodyear Ballpark featuring the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians.
- Peoria Sports Complex featuring the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres.
- Salt River Fields at Talking Stick featuring the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Surprise Stadium featuring Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.
The other five stadiums are home to a single team. They are:
- American Family Fields of Phoenix for the Milwaukee Brewers
- Hohokam Stadium for the Oakland Athletics
- Scottsdale Stadium for the San Francisco Giants
- Sloan Park for the Chicago Cubs
- Tempe Diablo Stadium for the Los Angeles Angels
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